SPRING'S arrival is heralded for many by the sight of the first daffodil, but thoughts of perfect camellias and magnificent magnolias come much earlier for the organisers of Cornwall's biggest horticultural celebration of the season.

Around 100 volunteers have spent the past few weeks preparing for this year's Cornwall Garden Society Spring Flower Show. Held on the Boconnoc Estate near Lostwithiel, it is an opportunity to see a huge variety of the season's blooms at their best.

And after what has been the longest and coldest winter for a generation, plant-lovers and growers are hoping this month will produce one of the most dramatic displays of colour for years – just in time for the show.

Show director Debbie Evans says she is looking forward to an exceptional array of flowers in the competitive classes and the trade stands this year.

"The show has a unique local atmosphere," said Debbie. "It is very much Cornwall's flower show and the standard is as good as any of the large national shows

"It kicks off the gardening year for many people, giving them inspiration and ideas for their own gardens. It's a chance for friends to meet up and swap stories about how their garden fared over winter, which should be particularly interesting this year.

"There is a wealth of free horticultural expertise available to experts and beginners alike and it is an opportunity to replace any plants lost during the cold snap with the largest range of plants and gardening sundries available in one place in Cornwall for one weekend only – many at special show prices."

However, she says the cold winter has led to some concern among regular competitors.

"Quite understandably, potential exhibitors are holding back from entering the competitive classes because they cannot be sure what will be out and looking its best at the time of the show," she said. "Such a cold late spring is beyond many gardeners' experience. Nonetheless I would urge people to enter as soon as possible because there is a danger that the organisers of the show will be overwhelmed by a surge of late entries which will be hard to arrange.

"Most garden owners, including the Royal Horticultural Society and The National Trust, are reporting that the effect of the cold winter has been to postpone the arrival of spring by three weeks or even a month later than last year. The evidence is plain to see because while snowdrops have enjoyed an abnormally long flowering period, daffodils are late and early camellias are suffering unusual frost damage.

"However, the silver lining to this rather gloomy outlook must be that when eventually temperatures rise to their seasonal norm there will be a spectacular compression of blooms as many more plants and flowers are released from this exceptionally long dormant period. We are very much hoping his could all come to a wonderful fruition at exactly the right time for this year's show."

Cornwall's first major spring flower show was held at Truro Concert Hall in 1897 and was modestly titled the Daffodil and Spring Flower Exhibition. The principal organisers at that time were J C Williams, Algernon Dorrien-Smith and the Honourable John Boscawen, all names still associated with horticulture in Cornwall today.

The event was officially named Cornwall Spring Flower Show in 1923 and has been held almost every year since, with only the occasional cancellation due to severe cold weather in 1946 and 1947, and during petrol rationing in 1957. A number of venues have been used over the years and it has been at Boconnoc since 2003.

Among the 2010 highlights are a number of talks by well-known gardeners. Tracy Wilson MBE will give tips on "how to make your money go further in the garden", while Peter Holden will share some "tales from the allotment". There will also be Gardeners' Questions, with the panel comprising John Mann, Alistair Rivers, Tracy Wilson and Brian Hiley.

Almost 200 competitive classes will be on display in a marquee and rooms around the Stable Yard. These include entries for ornamental trees and shrubs, magnolias, camellias, rhododendrons, daffodils, herbaceous plants, bulbs, pot plants and alpines. Amongst the mostly hotly contested trophies are those for best exhibits in their section.

Plants sales, trade stands, crafts and food are also a major part of the event, as is the popular exhibition of botanical art, photography competition, floral art and children's contests.

Cornwall Garden Society's Spring Flower Show is at Boconnoc, near Lostwithiel, on Saturday and Sunday, April 10 and 11, from 10am each day. Admission is £7 on the gate or £6 if booked in advance. For more details call 01209 714488 or visit: www.cornwallflower show.co.uk